He's Mine
by fantasystuff
Summary: Steph may have waited too long to claim Ranger for her own. Now, she must try to get him back. She has competition.
1. Chapter 1

He's Mine!

The scene keeps playing through in my mind and it won't stop. I knew I had to go talk to him…eventually. I just kept chickening out and maybe even hoping he would come to me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wanted my midnight visit, the one that always made my heart stop. There was a lot of explaining to do about why I had sent him away the last time and told him that I couldn't be with him. It was a hard decision, but I had to get myself straight. I haven't been in control for a long time.

Three months is a long time to go without seeing or talking to Ranger. I would briefly catch a glimpse of him when I would go to RangeMan and get some papers or talk to Cal. Cal and I are partners now, and I work exclusively with him. I have no real contact with Ranger. I'm sure Cal tells Ranger everything that goes on, but I'm out of that loop. As far as I know, Ranger hasn't been around when I was working on skips. After all, I would feel his presence…I always have. Its funny, I never had that "sixth sense" thing going on with Joe.

All the guys have been really quiet towards me. I really miss the Merry Men. They were all my friends. Ranger probably gave them orders not to have contact and to go through Cal for any information. The guys know when Ranger is serious.

Each week has been harder to get through than the previous one, but I had to know what I wanted. I knew I wanted Ranger, but leaving Joe wasn't easy. We had so much history, good and bad. Joe wasn't a bad guy and he would have probably tried his best to give me a good Berg life. I'm the one that couldn't make that happen. That isn't the life for me. I want a life with Ranger, even though I'm not sure what kind of arrangement that may be…sure as hell won't be boring!

I guess the plan seemed simple in my mind yesterday. Go to RangeMan and talk to Ranger. That idea scared the begeezees out of me! Maybe I could have just called and talked to him. No, Steph, no backing down. Everything I wanted with Ranger was on the line this time.

I hadn't planned any of this for yesterday. I was impulsive. The time spent fantasizing about Ranger had been getting more frequent. If I don't take care of this soon, I'm going to need a seeing-eye dog! Watch those hormones, girl. They have gotten you so in over your head, so many times. I showered, did the hair and makeup thing, and got into a sundress and sandals. Not too sexy, but should get his attention. Oh boy, I had wanted his attention bad. My whole body started getting warm, whew…it has been a long time. This is not a good way to go into this first talk with Ranger. Remember Steph, you cannot be objective and be thinking about sex with Ranger.

When I had gotten to RangeMan, Ranger's office door was shut, but he knew I was in the building. His guys don't leave anything left untold when Ranger was concerned, they knew better. I knew the men in the Control Room told him I was going to his office this time, not to my cube as usual. I knocked and he said, "Enter." One word response…not that unusual for him…but it sounded scary. Especially since he knew who was on the other side of the door. I had some explaining to do, so I probably deserved a less than warm reception. Keep positive.

"Hey," I said, nervously. "Hope I didn't interrupt anything too serious." I tried to give him the best smile I could. Eeek, my hearts about to pop out of my chest and my hands keep twisting back and forth over each other. He knows how nervous I am, he knows me better than anyone on earth.

"Hi, Steph." He looked at me with those gorgeous brown eyes. Those eyes just weren't saying what I wanted to hear. Since Ranger was a man of few words, I usually did the talking and he responded with a look. The look I was getting was not too warm and fuzzy!

He didn't call me Babe. I am just Steph now. I am starting to regret this whole idea. Oh boy, I wish Lulu would call me or something would give me an excuse to get the hell out of here. I think I'm going to have an anxiety attack!

"Steph, we need to talk. Let's go upstairs." He got up and led me out of the office and up to his seventh floor apartment. We were quiet the whole way to the apartment. Being in the elevator with him was so hard. So many memories.

He didn't smile. He didn't kiss me. He didn't do any of the things that I took for granted all those times we had been together. What do I do now? I can't use my flirty stuff to avoid this and, with Ranger, sometimes that was all I had to create a diversion. I am in uncharted waters here and I'm having a hard time controlling my thoughts or my tendency towards leaky eyes. I do not want him to see me cry today. I need to keep it together.

Ranger opened the apartment door and put down his keys. The apartment looked the same as it had 3 months ago, but it was a little different, too. Not sure what was different, but my radar was picking up something. I tried to do a quick eye scan to see if anything looked like it belonged to someone other than Ranger. I don't know what I would do if I found anything.

"Take a seat on the sofa, Steph. Would you like a bottle of water?"

"Yes, please." I barely got that out. My face was getting flush…my hands were sweaty. I wanted to bolt out of that apartment. I don't want to hear what he is going to say. I'm going to cry. He's going to tell me he hates me and that I need to go away. Oh gees, I'm a mess. Get a grip.

Ranger took a seat in the chair. He was quiet and showed no emotion. His dress was the usual black t-shirt, cargos and boots…he was as delicious looking as ever. I found my eyes tracing every outline on his body, from top to bottom. I hope he didn't see that! Good luck with that, he did not miss anything. Hell, he even had that ESP thing. He turned and looked at me. His eyes focused completely on my face. I could not turn away.

"Steph, we need to talk about the last time we saw each other. That day in your bedroom was important for both of us. "

I know he is talking, but I cannot concentrate. I remember that day in my bedroom, vividly. We were naked and exploring each other's body. The joy was mutual and the heat was unbearable. He could make me crazy with a look, but a touch and a look were deadly. When he added kissing and hands I was done. There was no turning back. I wanted it bad. Boy did I get it! There was not a square inch of me that had not been kissed or stroked to within an inch of its life. His tongue was lethal and he had me begging for mercy. That day, though, Ranger got the treatment that put a smile on his face. He realized what it was like to be totally at my mercy. My hands and my kisses covered his whole body. I took him to the edge and let him linger there. When I finally decided to end his misery and take all of him in my mouth, he moaned and gasped just as I had when I was on the receiving end. I loved having that power over him!

We were lying on our sides, facing each other. Sometimes eyes say so much. He told me he loved me and that he did not want to let me go. I started feeling nervous. I wanted him and I wanted a relationship, but I didn't feel like everything had been worked out. I just left Joe, and that was a relationship that lasted years. What if I wasn't ready to go into something this serious? Ranger is the best man I could ever hope to find. I do not want to mess it up by not being sure of myself.

Ranger was lying on his side looking into my face. His eyes were almost looking into my soul. He could see the fear and hesitation in my eyes. I cannot hide from him.

"Babe, you look a little tense? Want to share?"

"I'm so confused right now. I know I love you, but I do not know how I am going to handle that. I wanted two different men at the same time! How messed up is that. I should have left Joe a long time ago, I just was not brave enough. I wanted to be with you, but I was too scared to take that leap. I knew where I was going with Joe, but with you, I have no idea where I will end up."

"I need time to think this through. I should not have been with you today. It was amazing and wonderful, but I am afraid sex is just a distraction. I need to know what our relationship will be like when we are not tearing off each other's clothes every day. What will we have then?

"Ranger, I don't know what to do. Being with you makes me the happiest I have ever been. However, it also scares the hell out of me. When you look at me, I start to breath heavy and get all tingly. My mind goes blank when you nuzzle my neck and kiss me. All my thoughts go to getting you into bed. I need to be with you without the sex, but I do not think that is possible. We cannot be together without the sexual part clouding my mind. I need to know what the foundation of our relationship will be. It can't always be sex." There, I had said something honest to him. Shit, had I really said that! Had I said sex with him was a distraction? Oh God, I feel sick. I started feeling myself tear up.

"Babe, I am going to disconnect from you and give you time. The next move is yours to make. But remember, I may not be waiting for you when you come back." He kissed my check and left.

I went into the bathroom and threw-up. My first few days after that were a big blur. All I did was cry and eat. Poor Lulu has gained 10 pounds just trying to be my friend. I eat, she eats.

I snapped back to reality when I heard Ranger clear his throat.

"Steph, are you there?" Ranger was trying to get me attention. How long had I been sitting on his sofa thinking about that day. Oh god, I hope I did not say anything aloud!

"Sorry, I was remembering our last day together. I umm, I do not know what to say. I've got all these things in my head but I can't get anything to come together so it will make sense."

Ranger continued. "You need to listen to me so this can be very clear in your mind. We need to have this talk, like it or not." I was trying to hold myself together. Ranger got up and started walking around the room. Slowly, like he was truly in his zone and nothing was going to get him to come out of it.

When he finally spoke, it was almost as if he had memorized this speech in his head. Oh God, he has thought about this for a long time but he was waiting for me to make the move. After all, I am the one that started this ball rolling.

"Steph, I don't know if anyone has told you or not, but I have been seeing someone." He stopped talking and he stood in front of me. His eyes just watching me. I was completely without words at that moment. Not a damn thing seemed right to say. I could feel the flush of red come up my neck and onto my face. I wanted to just sink into the sofa and disappear.

WTF! Now there is an explanation as to why the guys at RangeMan were keeping so quiet. Either they were told by Ranger to not say anything, or they did not say anything to avoid hurting me. Great…I am out either way!

"After I left your apartment that day, I wasn't sure I would ever have another chance with you. You could even have gone back to Joe and then that completely unhealthy cycle would have started over again. Steph, you get me rattled and, in my profession, that can have deadly consequences. For a number of reasons, I could not keep loosing focus. I really tried to disconnect completely from you. It was hard, but I did it. All the guys knew what happened and understood my orders to them: Unless you were in danger, and Cal needed back-up, there was to be no interaction with Steph. Cal was to be the contact."

He turned around and took a seat in the chair. He started doing that steeple thing with his fingers. His gaze was down at the floor, with his hands on his forehead.

I had not come prepared for this talk. Time for me to go, and quickly. If I do this right, I can be out of the apartment and in the elevator before I start to cry. What more can I say or do here? He can't stop me from leaving, he has to remember that much about me! Well, he can stop me if he wants, after all he is Ranger.

Ranger stood up and came over to me, slowly. "Don't leave. You need to tell me why you came here."

Damn it. How the hell did he know what I was thinking! Shit We are over, but his ESP still works on me.

"Ranger, I came here to tell you that I trust my feelings now. I am not just in love with you because sex with you is the most fabulous thing I have ever experienced. You make me feel like I can do anything and you will support me. You believe in me, even when I drive you crazy. I trust you.

"I have been thinking about what you do to me. The smiles that make me get all nervous and make my heart skip. Your kisses that turn me into jelly. There has never been a time that you kissed me that I have not felt that way. I had to skedaddle away so many times just to keep myself from going further than I should. Not having you touch me and call me Babe is making me crazy." There. That is it. No more to say. Breathe girl, breathe.

Ranger did one of his half smiles and came over to the sofa. He sat next to me and did not say anything for a minute. Slowly, he cradled my face in his hands and kissed me gently. I could feel tears starting to pool in my eyes. I felt myself start to shake a little. A little tear plopped down on my leg, then another and another. There was no stopping the tears now.

A box of tissues appeared on my lap. He had his hand on the back of my neck. It felt warm and soothing as he sofltly squeezed and rubbed my shoulders. The warmth started spreading down my chest and tingles ran down my spin. I shuddered and started feeling my nipples harden with anticipation. I could feel my thighs start to get warm. Another few seconds and I'm going to melt. He pulled me to his chest and slowly started nibbling my ear and pushing his hands firmly, slowly, down my back. My whole body was starting to react without me giving it permission!

Ranger's body was reacting as well. He was shifting ever so slightly to accommodate his growing bulge. His breathing was deep, rhythmic, and accelerating at the same pace as mine. My hands were running through his hair and down his arms, feeling the wonderful outline of his muscles. We both started angling towards each other. Our bodies were starting to press harder and harder against each other. Oh god, I have waited so long for this!

I could feel Ranger start to pull away from me. His hands wrapped around mine and he looked deeply into my eyes. Our breathing was still heavy and our bodies were so ready to start making love! Why is he stopping?

"Babe, this can't happen today. I am not in the same position I was in three months ago. I have a relationship with Leah and I do not want to hurt her. I'm sorry Babe. If I hadn't stopped now I would not have been able to control myself. This has always been the way you make me feel. You make me crazy. I need to spend some time figuring out what to do now that you are back in my life."

WHAT! I have waited months to get this close to having Ranger naked and another woman has to be a part of our decision. GEEEZZZ! Perfect, just freakin' perfect…

He gave me a smile and stroked my check. I know he is doing the right thing, but why does it feel so bad. I guess I am the one that will have to stand back and wait for a decision this time. Wow, now I know how Ranger felt all those months when I was going

back and forth with Joe. The next move is his.

"Ranger, I think I should go." A lump was forming in my throat and I starting to cry. He held me tightly to his chest and stroked my hair until I stopped crying. His eyes were soft and I think he wanted to scoop me up and carry me off. His morals would not allow that, though. Guess that is one of the reasons I love him so much. It is just right now is not exactly the time I want to be moral.

I pulled away gently and stood to leave. My purse was by the door on table. My eyes glanced down to the floor and I saw a pair of pink flip-flops. My radar was right after all. Leah had made her way this far in 2 months.

Ranger kissed me and we parted without saying anything. What's to say!

I walked to the elevator and waited. When the door opened, a woman was standing there looking at me. She smiled and slipped out of the elevator. I was not looking my best and stray tears were still making their way down my cheeks. I turned to watch her make her way to Ranger's door. So, that is Leah. Yep, I have competition.

I need to go home and try to figure out how I am going to get him back. Stop with the mental questions, Steph! She probably is in his bed. Does he call her "Babe?" Do the guys like her? I feel sick. I want to slide down the elevator wall and just cry.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

JE's characters, my fun.

I don't really remember the drive home from Ranger's apartment. How can you drive for that long and not be aware of what is going on around you? I guess the Merry Men would tell me to be more aware of my surroundings. Scary. Doesn't matter anyway, all I want to do is forget everything. Everything about today, about Leah…oh God, this really hurts.

Rex is always so content with his life: Eat, sleep, and repeat. I just keep screwing up everything I touch. I had Ranger. He wanted me and was willing to give me everything that he could give. I still do not know what that was, but I was willing to go for it. All I needed was a little time to get myself together. I did not want to rebound after Joe and not have all my emotions in line. Ranger was too important to mess up. I thought he would be there when I came back. It's not fair! Ranger never did relationships

…and within 2 months, he has a woman in his life. Shit!

I wonder how he makes love to her. Does he kiss her as he kissed me? Does he hold her and look into her eyes like he did with me? Oh god, I need to stop this. Now I am starting to cry again. There isn't anyone to help me because no one can do this but me. God, my head hurts!

Maybe I need to eat, get some sleep and start over tomorrow. Who knows, maybe she will be hit by a truck and the problem will be solved. Oh God, I am going to hell for sure with that thought. I wish I could hate her, but she is probably nice and it isn't her fault that there was something about her that attracted Ranger. There isn't any question about what attracted her to Ranger. I'm surprised he ever wanted me. I wonder if he breathes on her neck when he comes up behind her? Does she know he is around before he speaks?

I cannot stop thinking about this. I feel sick. Maybe a shower will help me relax and get some sleep. I have to go to RangeMan tomorrow and get some work done. Oh joy, that should be agonizing.

The harder I try to sleep, the more awake I am. Maybe if I sit on the fire escape and get some air it will help me relax. I hope that there are not any crazies out at 2:00 in the morning. With me, you never know.

The air feels warm and comforting at this time of night, no sounds, no people…just what I want. I wonder if Ranger is alone, or if Leah is with him. Ranger told me I was the only woman that had ever been in his bed in the apartment. Guess that isn't true anymore. I can't stand the thought of him being with someone else. Those sheets, the shower…the shower gel…oh no! That isn't fair! That's my shower gel to use at Ranger's!

How did he handle me going back to Joe all those times? I know he could tell by the look on my face all the times I had been freshly …, well anyway, he could tell. That had to have been so hard. I was such a fool. Even though he was the one that would start the stolen kisses and so on, I did not make much of an effort to avoid them. My actions told him how I felt, but then I would turn around and go to Joe. It hurts to be on the other side of this mess. I do not have the emotional control he has. If I feel it, it shows on my face.

I guess I will get a shower and get ready for work. If I can't sleep, at least I can get an early start at work. I definitely need to make a stop at the donut shop this morning. And, just to be bad, I am going to take the bag into work with me and eat them in my cube. I could always get extras and give them to the guys in the control room. It is a big no, no, but I have to get a relationship going with these guys again. These last 3 months have not been normal. I want my Merry Men back. And, if Ranger catches me with donuts, I will do the runs or gym work…no problem.

Well, Ranger's Porsche is here. Wonder what "she" drives. Nope, not going there right now! Breathe, breathe. There is the camera. "Hi, guys." I know they can't hear me, but that and a finger wave should do it. Now to the control room and my guys.

"Hey, guys! Long time, no contact." I know they understand what I mean, they had to miss me too.

"Steph, great to see you back! Ranger isn't here this morning, but he will be back around noon." Tank is so sweet and he knows so much about what is going on. I really feel like I could use him to help me get Ranger back, but I wouldn't do that. I am not going to pump him for information. This will have to be done the old fashion way. No high tech insider information!

Cal just looked at me and smiled. He is the only one that had been working with me all those months. He is such a great guy, and if it wasn't for how I feel about Ranger, I probably would have been tempted to test the waters with Cal. The more I think about it, who would not want to do every one of them! I am a bad girl!

"I brought you some contraband. Thought that would help break the ice and get us back into our old ways. I am glad Ranger is not here. I need to be honest with you guys, and all the rest of the Merry Men. Ranger and I are not sure where we stand with each other. I know about Leah and that is all I know. Not how serious they are, nothing. I don't want to involve any of you in this, so I am going to try really hard not to let all this get in the way of our friendship and our working relationship."

I can feel tears starting to pool around the edges of my eyes. Cal and Tank can tell I am going to cry and they both get up to come over to me.

Tank takes me in his arms and holds me.

"Steph, I will be here any time you need to talk. Ranger doesn't need to know everything that goes on that isn't RangeMan business."

"Yeah, Steph, no problem here. Our personal time is exactly that. In fact, maybe we should go out tonight and get some pizza and drinks. Celebrate your return to the Merry Men. It is up to you if you want Ranger there."

"No, no Ranger. I just need to start getting my head back on straight and figure out where I am going from here. Thanks guys. Love ya! How about 7:00 at Pino's? Bring anyone with you that isn't working."

"Now, let's eat. If he comes back early we will all be in the gym working this off!" Yummy! Nothing like a good donut to get a girl back on her feet. The guys are doing a pretty good job of scarifying them down, too.

"Well, guys, guess I better get to work. See you at 7:00." I am so excited. I actually get to go out and do something fun and there are no strings attached. No thinking about broken hearts tonight, just pizza, beer and hot men!

Tank seems to be thinking for a minute. As if he wants to tell me something. "Oh, Steph, I should probably tell you this before you find out on your own. Leah is going to be here this morning working in the control room with Hal. Just wanted to give you a heads-up." Tank has my back. Nice to know.

"Thanks for the info."

Now what am I going to do. She will be watching me for most of the day, but I will not see her. Not fair, so not fair! Well, I could give her a show, but that would not be good. I will just work and leave. No news there to travel back to you-know-who.

I need music to distract that part of my mind that keeps playing the same thing repeatedly…Ranger, love, sex, Leah…help me stop! Godsmack will help get me started. Hmm, oh yes, definitely need "Whatever." The words are so close to being perfect to how I feel sometimes. Loud, needs to be loud. Good thing I have an Ipod and headset. There, now I feel better.

I can't believe it is 5:00 already. Time to go and get ready for my date with multiple hot men. Yum. Should be fun, even though it is completely platonic! Tank said Ranger would be back around noon. I am glad he did not come see me. For all my bravado, I am just not ready to talk to him. Tears are just right below the surface and it would not take anything to get them started. His voice would do it. His eyes would do it. Hell, just about anything could get me tearing up!

Well, I made it all the way to the car without seeing Ranger or Leah. All around, a good day! Oh no, please do not let this happen now. I can feel him.

"Babe."

"Ranger." I can do this one word thing, too. Except I want to add about 100 words to it, like take me back, leave her, blah, blah, blah.

"I just got back this afternoon and I didn't have time to come talk to you. Are you o.k.?"

"Yeah, I guess. I am not going to lie to you, it is hard, but I am a tough girl. The guys will help cheer me up tonight."

"What "guys?" Ranger did that eyebrow thing.

"Some of the Merry Men are going to Pino's with me for pizza and beer. I need them back in my life. The last 3 months have been hard and I did not have any contact with most of them the whole time. This will get us back on track. They are my friends. I need them. I would invite you, but it is best if you are not there. I wouldn't have much fun." Oh crap, that was brutally honest. Did I really say that?

"Oh, and Ranger, please don't call me Babe anymore. That name was special and meant something emotional. That is all gone now. Just call me Steph or Stephanie. Hearing Babe is just too hard for me. Babe kind of meant you loved me and we both know that isn't true anymore." Tears are starting to roll down my cheeks and wiping them off isn't working too well. I can tell I am on the verge of an all out sob attack. I can feel my shoulders start to shake and my hands are just rolling over top of each other. I need to go before I get sick.

"Steph, please don't do this. I don't want to see you like this." Ranger put his arms around me and held me tight. He gently rubbed my back with his hands and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. I did not want to move from that spot or that moment.

I pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes, tears still flowing down my face.

"I umm, I need to go now. This hurts too much and I cannot do anything about it. You touching me just makes it worse because I know there is not anymore of that to follow. Every time I see you, think of you, or hear your name, all I can think about is you holding Leah and looking at her, and kissing her and making love to her. This is almost more than I can handle. Goodbye, Ranger." His eyes were frozen on my face as I turned to get into my car. He did not try to stop me. I do not think he knew what to do at that moment, either.

How did I get home? I really don't remember anything about the trip home. All I thought about was Ranger and all the things I want to say to him. Oh god, I am not going to make it through all this.

I need a nap and then some pizza and beer will get me going again. I just have to learn to live in a different world now. Everything I knew before is gone. I do not know what to do now. It does not matter how many people you have there for you, if that one person is not in your life, nothing is right.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

All characters are JEs. I am just having fun.

I need to relax. After all, these people have seen me at my very worst and my very best. They know me so well, but somehow I feel uncomfortable. I really hope they do not. Everyone knows about Ranger and me, but hopefully we can keep that out of tonight's conversation. Not a good mix for me to be drinking and talking about Ranger. Oh god, there is a high potential for embarrassment tonight.

WTF…there is the RangeMan SUV, parked right in front. Shit, no matter how many years I work for him, I will never get that skill! They do not even go shopping, that skill is wasted on them.

As I walk into Pino's I see a whole group in the back corner, all dressed in black, waving at me. I give them a great, big smile and walk over. The stares from some of the women let me know what a lucky girl I am!

"Hey guys!"

"Hey, yourself. Saved you a seat by me." Tank pats the seat next to him and gives me a hug around my shoulders. This is a good, secure seat for me tonight. I know he will try to look out for me.

It looks like most of the inner circle could be here: Lester, Cal, Hector and Tank. Guess the others had to work. Not the end of the world, I will just have to do this again so the rest of them can come along. Never can get too much pizza and beer, or hot men.

"Pretty tonight." Hector said, with his eyes fixed on my breast. Nothing new here! Not too subtle. Glad he is sitting across from me. He would have had his hand up my skirt by now. Nope, not going to think about that. Geezz, I need a cold drink.

"Thanks, Hector. Glad you could come tonight."

Lester grabs my mug and pours some beer for me.

"Thanks, Les. I have not had any time to spend with you guys since this whole "thing" happened 3 months ago. I really missed all of you and I do not want to lose our friendship because of Ranger. I know he can make our lives miserable if he wants to, but I am not going to give him a reason to interfere."

Lester gives me a big smile.

"Don't worry about us and Ranger. We can handle anything that he dishes out. However, this is not anything that should concern him. You are just spending the evening with four single men. What's to worry about?" Lester laughs and gives me a warm smile.

Oh god, he is so hot! Friends, just friends…remember that tonight. No funny stuff!

Cal gives me a playful look. Oh boy, I hope he is not reading my mind.

He looks at the other men around the table. "You guys are such losers! I have had her all to myself for 3 months and enjoyed every bit of it. Of course, you all know what it is like to be with Steph when she is going after a FTA. All I can say, is it was never boring. I could get used to working all the time with a beautiful woman. Beats the hell out of you guys!" Cal smiles at me.

"Thanks, Cal. We do make a pretty good pair."

G..r..o..w..l. Oopps, my stomach is making itself known!

"Sorry about that. I am starving and I think I need to feed the beast." Ranger used to talk about feeding the beast. I wish I had not just thought of that. Why does he always pop into my head?

Tank smiles. "We know enough to keep you fed. You can be dangerous if you aren't full of pizza, or cake, or donuts, or coffee, or Tasty Cakes, or…"

"O.k., I get the point. You would think I eat all the time. Well, o.k., I guess I do put away my fair share." I just smile and attack the pizza that just arrived at the table.

"Go ahead, Steph. We will wait for you to get yours. Don't want to lose a hand reaching for anything that you are going after." Tank just looks at me with one of those blank faces. I must have missed getting one of those faces when I signed up with RangeMan. It certainly would come in handy!

Everyone is quiet while we eat. This is the most comfortable I have felt in months. No matter what happens between Ranger and me, I know I will have these guys in my life. What more could a girl ask for?

I hear a cell phone chirp and Tank grimaces and looks at the ID. A smile would mean Lula. A frown would mean Ranger.

"Yeah." Tank is good with the one word thing.

"Be there in 10." Click. No byes, just click.

"We have to go. There is a situation we have to handle and Ranger wants me, Cal and Hector in 10. Lester can stay here with you and we can come get him later or you can drop him off at RangeMan. What's it going to be?" Tank is all business now.

"I can take him back to RangeMan later tonight, no problem. Sorry you all have to go, but thanks so much for tonight. You guys know how to make a girl feel special!"

I get up and hug each one before they leave.

"Be safe guys. Love you!" I really mean it, too.

"Well, Steph, it is just you and me. What do you want to do for the rest of the night? I am all yours." Lester gives me a wicked smile, but it is more like a smirk!

"Well, I don't know what you have in mind, but I would like to go somewhere and just walk and talk. How about a park?"

"Fine with me. I have the perfect place. It will be a surprise!"

Oh boy, I may have just bitten off more than I can chew. Lester at night in a park. Hmmm, should be interesting!

He puts money on the table and we leave.

"Hope you don't mind riding in my latest POS car, but it is all I can afford right now. I did not want to take up Ranger's offer for one of his cars. He doesn't have to know where I am all the time."

"Would you mind driving, since you know where we are going?"

"O.k., Steph, be prepared to be surprised." Lester squeezes my hand and smiles at me. He is so sweet and so sexy, and this is so not a good idea right now, but I do not want to say no. It is just a simple walk with a good friend.

Before I know it, we are off onto a dirt road with nothing around us but trees. Where am I? The whole ride was spent in silence. I was thinking about Ranger and I tend to loose track of time when that happens. I wonder if he is with Leah tonight. Well, this is not what I need to be thinking about right now. I need to focus on the present, not the past.

"We are here." Lester looks over at me with a smile.

"We are? What is this place and where is this place?" All I can see is a path into the woods. Crap, this is not looking like a good idea at all.

"Don't worry Steph, I am not going to jump you or get you to do anything you don't want to do. Let's get out and get this walk started."

Lester takes my hand and we start walking into the woods. It is beautiful out here. The full moon is illuminating everything around us and it casts lovely shadows along the path. The path is well worn, but not wide. This is a place that must be known to others besides Lester, but what is it!

"Curious, aren't you. You know you can ask me questions, rather than just talk to yourself!" Lester smiles.

"Did I say something aloud?" I give him an embarrassed look.

"Don't worry. Your secrets are safe with me." He smiles.

I can see it getting lighter ahead, as if the path is opening into a clearing. Oh my god, I do not believe this. It is beautiful.

"Surprised, aren't you? Before you start with questions, I will answer the obvious ones. This is the property of one of our clients. He lives in New York, but keeps a house down here. He likes the secluded life style and very few people know there is anything like this back here. As RangeMan employees, we have permission to come here anytime we like. I'm surprised you never came here with Ranger."

"No. I never came here with him. However, I am here with you. Tell me more." I need to steer this talk away from Ranger. The full moon and my emotions could easily ruin a good time.

"This is the private garden of the owner. He set it up away from the house so he could come here with his wife and not be bothered. The gazebo is even heated, so he can be down here in the winter. Nice, huh? The fountain was a gift to him from his wife." He stops talking and looks at me.

"Lester, this is unbelievable. It is kind of hot tonight, want to get into the fountain pool?" I did not wait for him to speak. I kicked off my shoes and stepped in. The water is perfect. Good thing I have a short skirt on. At least I will not get wet.

As I turn around, I see Lester taking his pants off. Oh shit, now what.

"Steph, don't worry! I do not want to get my pants wet and I have on boxers. No problem, relax!" He smiles in a way that says his mind is not in agreement with his words. Thank god, he wears boxers and does not go commando like Ranger. That would have made for a very interesting moment!

"Sorry, it just surprised me. Come on in, it is great."

Lester steps into the pool and comes towards me. Standing next to me, he takes my hand and gently kisses it. Our eyes meet and we just stand there looking into each other's eyes, not needing to say anything. I am glad to see that it is more friendship than lust, but a little bit of lust can be a dangerous thing.

We walk hand-in-hand around the fountain, looking at all the mosaic tiles and carved figures. There is a bench along the edge of the fountain and we sit down, facing the fountain. The center fountain is lit with recessed lights from the bottom of the fountain. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Lester turns my face to his and lightly kisses me. I know I should not be doing this, but I kiss him back. No tongue, or moans, just a kiss. A nice kiss.

"Thank you for this, Les. I like being somewhere new. No bad memories to be found here!"

"Glad you like it. This can be our special spot. I won't tell, if you won't." He smiles and squeezes my hand.

"Want to walk around the gardens? " I am afraid if I sit here with him any longer, I am going to do something I should not.

He puts his arm around my waist and leans over to kiss me. This time I cannot stop the desire to deepen the kiss. He responds quickly and our mouths are locked together. We shift slightly on the bench so we are facing each other. Our eyes meet as we kiss. We both pull away slowly.

"Les, I'm not sure we should be doing this. I am not very stable right now and it would be easy for me to let this go farther than it should. I'm not just saying this because of Ranger, because he really doesn't care what I do."

He looks at me for a few seconds without saying anything.

"That was a loaded statement. I will not do anything you do not want to do. You were not brought here for that, I promise. Next, Ranger does care about what you do. How you two deal with that is not my problem. I will be around any time you need me."

He hugs me and kisses me gently on the lips. What a guy!

I grab his hand and stand up.

"Let's explore! I have some energy I need to get rid of." Oh boy, that was an opening!

"Don't push your luck, girl. I could change my mind about why I brought you here!" He smiles a wicked smile that says more than words could say.

As we are stepping out of the fountain, my foot slips and I fall backwards into the water, pulling Lester down with me. Oh my god, we are both soaking wet! Lester just sits there and looks at me. He is not mad; he just has a funny look on his face.

"Les, I am so sorry, really. There was a slippery spot by the bench and I just lost my balance. Good thing you didn't have your pants on." I try to give him a big smile but all I can do is laugh. He looks so funny sitting in the water.

"Steph, the night would not have been complete without something happening like this. We all just come to expect it. We never know what or when, but it always happens. We love that about you."

He takes my hand and pulls me up. I am wet from my top all the way down. I take off my jacket and squeeze the water out of it.

Lester is eyeing me from head to toe. My skirt is stuck to me like glue and it is bunched up between my legs. Not much is being covered at this moment. Then there is the wet shirt that is not doing a good job of hiding my nipples. After all, it is a little chilly out here when you are soaking wet.

I cannot help but look at him. His shirt is clinging to his beautiful chest and abs. Wow, what a sight. Then there are the wet boxers that are not leaving anything to the imagination! I really need to stop looking, but I cannot break by stare.

"Steph, are you staring at me?" He laughs and enjoys the red color that comes into my checks. Oh god, how embarrassing!

"Come on, girl. Let's get out of this water before you take us down again." He guides me out to the walkway around the fountain and we go over to the bench.

"Les, I think we should probably be going back now. Is that o.k. with you?" I watch his face for a clue as to what he is thinking.

His face is hard to read. Slowly a very devious little smile starts to form and I know I am in for something interesting.

"We could always take our clothes off and hang them on a tree to dry. Not healthy to be in wet clothes too long." He cannot hide the bad-boy smile he is giving me.

"Definitely not healthy, for a lot of reasons. Thanks, but I think we better go now before I don't have any clothes on!" The thought of us both naked here is one that I could so get into right now. However, I also know I do not want to do something that would harm our friendship.

I find my shoes and sit to put them back on. Not easy to do with any modesty when my skirt is glued to me and riding up to my crotch every time I move. Les does not mind the show. He puts on his shoes, but just carries his pants. Guess you cannot wear pants with water dripping off your boxers.

He pulls me up and takes me into his arms. He kisses me gently on the cheek and we start walking back to the car without saying anything. I wonder what he is thinking right now? I am afraid to think too much, because I may say it aloud.

"Steph, you want me to drive back?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. I just feel like sitting and enjoying the scenery." I shoot him a smile, a little bit of a bad girl smile. I may be playing with fire!

He kisses my cheek and closes my door.

Our drive back is quiet and peaceful. Lester is a great friend. There isn't any denying there is some sexual attraction, but we both know my stuff with Ranger has to be worked out. For now, I am just glad I have some friends to hang out with!

"You want to go to your apartment, or do you want to go to RangeMan and drop me off?" He looks at me carefully.

"Better go to Haywood. I need to get home and get a shower and go to bed. Busy day tomorrow." Besides that, I have a feeling it would be hard to stop any action once we got to my apartment.

As we pull into the garage, I notice Ranger's Porsche parked by the door to the building. I wonder how the job went and if they are all back yet.

Lester pulls my car up to the door and puts it into park. He looks over at me and kisses me on the cheek.

"Thanks for a great night, Steph. You never disappoint!" He smiles and gets out of the car.

All I can think about is Ranger telling me the same thing. "Babe, you never disappoint." He would say that all the time. I wish I had not just thought of that.

I get out of the car to walk around to the driver side. Lester is standing there in his wet shirt and boxers, holding his pants. I am in a wet cami that is almost see through, with a short skirt that wants to bunch up between my legs. I keep tugging at it to try to hide my thong, but every time I walk, it rides up to show the lower part of my butt. What is a girl to do?

Oh, crap, the cameras! I cannot believe I did not think of this before we got here! This looks so bad. Someone is going to hear about this in the morning. Well, I guess we have nothing to lose. I give Lester a kiss on the check and a hug.

"Guess I will see you in the morning." I give him a smile and a little wave. As I turn to go around the car, I am completely aware of the rear shot the control room is getting, but there isn't too much I can do about it. Nothing like getting some attention!

"Drive carefully. You can't have more than one calamity in one night!" He smiles and turns to go into the building.

My drive back to the apartment goes quickly. This was a good night and it seems to be a start towards me getting myself back together.

Hmmm, I wonder what Ranger will say when he sees the video from the garage. Part of me thinks he will not care because he has moved on, but there is a chance he will not react well. I think he still cares about me, but how much? I guess Lester and I will find out tomorrow.

For now, a warm shower and my bed are the only things I need. Tomorrow should be an interesting day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to JE.

What a night! Steph is an amazing woman…a walking disaster sometimes, but well worth it. I'm glad the night worked out the way it did and that I was the one that got to stay with her at Pino's. Wouldn't have missed it for the world! That girl can make a grown man weak. It took every ounce of control I had tonight to keep my hands off her.

The building is quiet. I know the Control Room has a great shot of what I look like and they definitely saw Steph when she got out of the car. If I can just get to my apartment without having anybody give me a bunch of crap over this, I will be happy. The shit will hit the fan in the morning, but right now, I just want to get some sleep. No doubt, Ranger will be a real dick about the whole thing.

That vibration can only mean one thing….shit, here is comes. Yep, the ID is Ranger.

"Yeah."

"Santos, my office, now."

No need putting this off until daylight. His door is open.

"You need something, Ranger?" I really want to tell him to fuck-off, but that would probably not be a good idea right now.

"Santos, what the hell do you think you are doing? Explain! I want answers….NOW! " Ranger's hand slams down on his desk, his face red with anger.

"You want answers? Steph and I were not on RangeMan business. We were spending personal time together, so there are not too many answers I am willing to give you. What we do on our own time is our own business." Boy, this is really going to piss him off, but he can't expect me or Steph to jump everytime he wants his way.

"Santos, you are taking a very dangerous approach to this conversation. You bring her into the garage with her clothes wet and half her ass hanging out of her skirt. You are not wearing pants. Talk." From the way Ranger looks, he could probably kill me right now.

"I took her to the Coleman property and showed her the gardens and the fountain. She wanted someone to be with her tonight, and she feels comfortable with me…she trusts me. I knew that was a place she would really love seeing." That should give him an aneurism.

Ranger is silent, but barely able to control his rage. He grabs his water bottle and throws it against the wall. Water explodes against the wall, spraying out into the room.

"Santos, get the fuck out of my office. This isn't over!"

"Ranger, I will leave after I tell you one more thing. Do not even think about going after Steph for this. You want to kick my ass, go at it! However, give her even a little of what you just gave me, and I will kick your ass. Do not doubt me." We both stare at each other, neither one of us backing down.

As I turn to leave his office, I can feel Ranger's eyes glaring at me. He may run RangeMan, but I will be damned if he runs my life, or Stephs.

I need to get to my apartment and get a shower. This whole thing is going to blow up again in the morning. I wonder who else was in the control room when we came in tonight. God knows, it will not take long for this scene to spread through the office. Steph may have a rough day when she comes in to work. I wonder if Leah was working last night?

Leah's POV

Shit, I have never seen him like that, ever! Everyone had always told me his anger was something to avoid as if your life depended on it, and now I know why. It looked like the blood vessels in his neck were going to pop!

The sight of Stephanie dripping wet and her skirt hiked up was more than he could take. The fact that Lester only had boxers on sent him over the edge. I wonder if Lester knows that yellow boxers become kind of see through when they are wet. What were they thinking? If they were doing anything, you would think they would try to cover it up a little. The girl has guts. I will give her that. Kissing Lester and then giving him a hug, right in front of the cameras. She knows how to get things rolling. Good thing she was smart enough to leave. At least she will live to fight another day! I'm not too sure about Lester's chances. I know why she would pick him for a romp, though. He is a fine looking man!

It could just be innocent. Maybe nothing was going on between them tonight. Yeah, right! And pigs can fly!

Ranger can be such an asshole! I don't think he even noticed that I was in the control room with him when Steph and Lester came back. Some of the guys looked over at me with sympathy, but no one said anything. Staying around as long as I have has been a waste of time and I need to take control of my life…time to move on.

Everyone here is doing this weird kind of dance around this whole situation. This probably is not a good time to talk to Ranger, but I need to tell him how I feel. We are acting like one big dysfunctional family. Looks like it is already going to be a shitty day, might as well get this out of the way, too.

Maybe I will just go up to his apartment now. I'm surprised I don't feel as sad as I thought I would. I have known for a while that this was not going anywhere, so some of it is my fault for playing this stupid game. Funny how anger gives you the nerve you need at a time like this.

The apartment sounds quiet. Here goes. Ranger jerks the door open suddenly and it startles me. Come on girl, get yourself pulled together. This is your talk. You are in control now.

"Leah, what are you doing here?" He just looks at me, somewhat irritated.

"Hi, yourself…nice way to answer the door! Ranger, we need to talk." I walk by him without waiting for a response and go to the sofa.

"Ranger, sit down. I need you to listen to what I have to say. It is important to me." He sits down by me on the sofa and leans his head back, looking exhausted. I think he is too tired to protest my presence at this time.

"We have been together, and I use that term loosely, for 2 months. I have been hoping that I could wiggle myself through that hard outer shell of yours and get to the real person inside. However, it is not going to happen. You say you want one thing, but you act another way. I don't want to do this anymore. I actually wanted a relationship with you, not marriage, just a serious dating kind of relationship.

"There was only 1 time in 2 months that I saw any emotion that would even come close to defining a relationship. That was the night that we finally had sex. Notice I said sex, not "making love," because that would have actually required a little bit of emotion.

"Leah, let me..." He turns his head to me and tries to speak.

"No Ranger, you need to be quiet and listen, o.k.? You were good in bed, technique wise. But to be honest, I would rather have less technique and more emotion. It kind of felt like I was a stunt double that night. You wanted to make love to her, but you had to settle for having sex with me. It was obvious to me and it should have been obvious to you. Soon after that night, I started seeing the picture a little clearer. Stephanie was the third person in our screwed-up relationship. I was only around to fill a hole, so to speak. However, I can't be Stephanie, I can't live up to whatever she is to you. You love her and nothing is going to be o.k. for you until you have her back.

"Tonight in the Control Room made that crystal clear to everyone in there. Here I am, the one that has been dating you for 2 months, and you did not even acknowledge my presence in the Control Room when they showed up on the cameras! You just started storming around the room and mumbling under your breath, clearly upset at the sight of "your girl" with Lester. Christ, do you know how fucking humiliating that was for me. For someone that thinks they are so in control and aware of their surroundings, you really suck big time when it comes to relationships.

"I'm done. Go to Stephanie, Ranger. She can give you what you want. This little game between you two is something I can't deal with."

"Leah, may I talk now?"

"Make it quick. I want to go."

"You are right. There isn't anything you said that doesn't have some truth to it. I am sorry that it didn't turn out like I thought it would. There was never any intention to lead you on, I really thought I could do this with you and be happy. I can't shake Stephanie, and believe me I tried.

"The night we had sex was not what I thought it would be, either. I was hoping to start a new relationship, but it wasn't possible. You're right, the emotion wasn't there. The stunt double comment is pretty harsh, though.

"I never meant this to happen the way it did. When Stephanie came back and told me she had decided she was ready to be with me, I told her I was in a relationship and that I didn't want to do anything to hurt you. That was true then and it is true now. You are smart and beautiful, the problem is with me, not you. Seeing her come in here with Lester tonight was something I wasn't prepared for."

Ranger gets up and walks back and forth in front of the sofa. He looks so distracted and so uncomfortable. This is new territory for him.

"Ranger, if you are finished, I need to leave. I am resigning my position, effective immediately. I will be out of my apartment in 2 days. There will be a forwarding address for my checks and any other mail."

As I get up to leave, he reaches out to grab my arm, but that isn't going to happen. There won't be any teary-eyed goodbye that will give him an opportunity to smooth over this mess. He can live with a little guilt. It will be good for him.

"No, Ranger. No goodbye hugs, no kisses, no "take care of yourself"….you can be such a self absorbed asshole sometimes, I don't think you deserve a decent goodbye."

How the hell did I ever get into this god-awful mess! The man's looks can make a perfectly intelligent woman loose her mind and become delusional. Now I know why Stephanie is so confused. God help her!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5                   He's Mine

As always, these characters are not mine, just playing with them.

"Shit!" Where is the phone. "I'm coming, give me a damn minute!"

"TALK!"

"Lester, I need you over here. There is someone in my apartment." Steph's voice is hushed and shaky.

"Steph? Are you in your bedroom?" I was coming out of my stupor quickly.

"Yes. The door is closed, but it isn't locked. I'm afraid if I lock it, they will hear me."

"Steph, where is your gun?" I know the answer to this before she answers.

"It's in the Cookie Jar…I know, don't start in on that right now, o.k. Just get over here as quickly as you can. Please."

"Hold on darling, I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm going to hang-up and call Tank. Don't leave your room…got it?" I should be calling Ranger, but with everything that happened last night, I just don't want him involved.

"I will stay in my room, promise…please hurry." I know Lester and Tank will be here soon. It seems so long ago when I would call Ranger to help me. So much has changed in the last few months.

It is so quiet. If someone is still here, he is probably waiting for me to come out. I barely heard any noise out there, just a little fumbling around. Maybe they are gone and it is okay to go out. Better not, I told Lester I would sit here and wait. He and Tank  should be here any minute. What crazy do I have now? I haven't even been out of the office that much…who could I have messing with me now?

I can hear the apartment door open and heavy footsteps entering the apartment. It has to be them. Every door in the apartment is opening and closing.

"Steph, we are coming in." The door quickly opens and Lester and Tank rush in, guns in hand. Tank surveys the room and checks the window.

"Everything looks clear in your apartment. You doing alright?" Tank looks concerned.

Lester sits by me on the bed and pulls me to him. He kisses my cheek and eyes me, up and down…guess he is making sure I am o.k. He puts his hand on my thigh, which is resting outstretched under the sheet. His hand is warm and his fingers feel so gentle. Here I am thinking about Lester and getting all warmed up, while the guys are here to check on my intruder. Hmm, better get my mind back to business.

"Steph, are you o.k.?" Tank gives me a concerned look and comes over to put his hand on my shoulder. As scared as I felt just a few moments ago, I now only feel protected and loved. I really don't know what I would do without these men in my life.

"Can you tell us what happened…what you heard?" Lester locks eyes with me and doesn't even blink. I am having a hard time focusing on the question. His eyes are beautiful.

"I heard someone in the living room, but it wasn't anything clear. Just rustling around, as if they didn't know the room well and couldn't see in the dark. And, just as soon as I heard it, the noise stopped and I guess they were gone."

"Lester, I'm going to do some searching around in the other rooms." Tank turned and left us in my room.

"Steph, I'm glad you called me. You feeling o.k.?" He is looking at me with those gorgeous eyes and I am going from scared to SCARED…oh hell, do not even go there right now. This is not the time to activate the horomones. His hand is gently rubbing my thigh in rhythmic strokes. Every now and then, he will give me a gentle squeeze. The squeeze on my thigh muscle is sending tingles up my leg. My heart rate is starting to inch up and my breathing is getting deeper. I can feel my face getting warm, and probably a little pink. If he keeps this up, I will end up embarrassing the hell out of myself. A little shudder goes through my body.

"Steph, you there?" Lester is staring at me and waiting for a response. He has a little smile on his face. Am I busted?

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay. I just feel a little anxious, that's all. Just a little on edge." Well, that is the truth. I am really stressing right now! And I really am on the edge of loosing it right here in my bed without him hardly touching me.

Lester scoots over next to me in bed and we both are leaning against the headboard. Me under the covers, him on top of them. Better keep it that way, to be safe. He pulls me next to him and wraps his arms around me. It feels so good to have him hold me like this. He turns to me and kisses me on the forehead and pulls me over so my head is resting on his shoulder. It has been so long since I had someone hold me like this. He feels so warm and safe.

Tank appears in the door and takes in the scene for a few seconds before speaking. I look up and give him a little smile. He smiles back, but there is something in his expression. Me in Lester's arms while Ranger's best friend is standing in my bedroom door. Hmm, this may not look too good, but it feels absolutely delicious!

"Lester, I need you out here for a minute." Tank turns and walks a few paces down the hall. Almost out of ear shot.

"I'll be right back, Steph. Keep my spot warm for me." He squeezes my hand and gives me a wink. What is going on with me and Lester? Is it that I am incredibly horny and he is incredibly hunky? Maybe.

Come on girl, get your mind back on the situation at hand. I can hear Tank and Lester talking in the hall.

"I'm telling you, that is what I think happened. What else could it be? Who else would have left it here? Only someone that didn't need it anymore." Tanks voice trails off.

"I agree. Weird, though. What is the purpose? Did something happen last night and we just don't know about it?" I can hear the concern in Lester's voice.

That's it. I can't take this anymore. Time to investigate this little conversation myself. Well, after I put on some pants.

"Okay, guys, what's going on? Who and why?" They both look at me with those damn blank faces.

"Talk. Now! I need to know what you think is going on. Please." I said that with just a little too much whine.

Tank and Lester eye each other for what seems like forever, before Tank speaks.

"Steph, it looks like one of the Rangeman keys was left on your table. All of the keys have unique numbers on them so we can tell who they were assigned to. All we know for sure right now is that it is to the Haywood building."

Lester looks at me for a few seconds before adding to the speculation.

"We think it may be Leah's key, but we aren't sure. The key numbers are sequential. Her key number is high, which would indicate a recent issue and she is the last person to be issued a key. We won't know for sure until we get back to the office and check it out." Lester hasn't taken his eyes off of me the whole time. He is waiting for the questions that they both know are coming. Here goes!

"Lester, what happened last night after I left the garage?" I am saying this as I walk to the kitchen. Coffee is needed, and quickly. This is not going to be good, I can tell.

Lester looks at Tank and I can tell they are doing their ESP thing. Oh yeah, there is a story to be told here.

"Do you guys want some coffee?" They both come to the counter and eagerly await their cups. I love these guys! I'll love them more if they spill the whole story of what happened last night.

Lester is looking at me with a calculated stare. He is trying to figure out how much he has to tell me to satisfy me…temporarily. Tank looks quite happy at not having to say anything right now. He knows how sticky this is going to be.

"Steph, I am going to give you the short version for now. I promise to talk to you later, but Tank and I need to get back to the office. After you left the garage last night, I was on my way to my apartment, when my phone rang. It was Ranger. It seems that he was in the control room when we drove into the garage last night. He, and everyone else in the room, including Leah, saw us when we got out of your car."

"What did Ranger say to you? Was he mad? What did we do that was so bad?" Jeez, give me some facts!

"Steph, it isn't what we did…it is what it looks like we did! Do you remember what we looked like when we got out of the car? I was in wet boxers, carrying my pants. You had a wet top on and a little wet skirt that was riding up your butt. We know what happened, but everyone else doesn't." Lester hasn't spilled the whole story. He is holding out on me.

"There is more, isn't there? What exactly did Ranger say? Come on guys, I need to know this." They aren't going anywhere until I know what happened at Haywood last night.

"Steph, we have to go. Ranger called a 9:00 meeting and we both have to be there. Trust me on this, we need to be there. I promise I will tell you everything, but not right now. Okay?" He is looking so tired and a little worried. Ranger can be such a pain in the ass when he wants to be. Poor Lester, it wasn't his fault…it was mostly my doing that got us into this mess in the first place.

"Okay, I will wait to talk to you later. But please call me as soon as you can." I give them both a smile.

"Thanks, guys. I have a feeling today is going to be a very long and interesting day." Oh yeah, this is going to be a day from hell.

Tank smiles and grabs me in a big bear hug.

"We don't know what happened between Ranger and Leah. If we are right, and that is her key, it doesn't look like things went well. We'll have to see how he chooses to handle this." Tank lets me go and walks to the door.

"Steph, when are you coming in to work?" Lester seems to be trying to develop a game plan in his head.

"I will be there at 9:00. I'll be doing searches in my cube. Get me when you have a chance. Thanks again, guys."

I'll just lock-up and get a shower. Ranger, why can't anything ever be easy with you. Now all of RangeMan is going to be witness to our screwed-up relationship. Oh, hell, they already know how bizarre our history is. I wonder what they think about Lester and me. Too bad there isn't something more to that part of the story! Whew…that man gets me hot.

This is too strange. Leah's key? Did they break-up? I need to get ready for work. There will be plenty of time to speculate about this later. Now, for a quick shower.

Someone is at my door and here I am wet and naked.

"Hold on, I'll be there in a minute."

I guess I will be getting dressed quickly this morning. No time to dry my hair, I'll just pull it up into an elastic and call it a day. No time for make-up, either.

"Coming, just another minute."

Well, maybe just a little mascara and some lip gloss. Never know who may be at the door.

"Coming! Jeezz….keep your pants on!"

 "Leah?" I can only see her face through the little hole.

"Stephanie?"

"Leah, why are you here?"

"I need to talk to you. Please let me in. This won't take long, really." Leah sounds desperate. Oh well, might as well let her in and see what she has to say about this whole situation. I doubt this day can really get any stranger…well, you never know.

I open the door without saying a word. We look at each other in silence before she enters the apartment.

"Coffee?" I don't know what else to say to her. I could ask her if she is the crazy that left a key in my apartment, but that may take the conversation off into the wrong direction!

"Yes, please." Leah looks so tired. Her eyes are red and puffy and her face is pale. God, girl, I've been in your shoes so many times.

"Stephanie, I need to explain some things to you…and I need to apologize for some things I did." Leah runs her hands through her hair and rubs her eyes. She is a mess.

I give her the cup of coffee and she follows me into the living room. We both sit on opposite ends of the sofa, pulling our feet up and facing each other. We kind of look like bookends.

"Leah, I am going to get right to the point. Did you break into my apartment last night and leave your RangeMan key on my table?"

"Yes." She looks down at her coffee and doesn't say anything for a while. All I can hear is a little sigh.

"I am so sorry, Stephanie. Please forgive me. I came over here to talk to you about last night and what happened between you and Lester…and between Ranger and me. When I got to your door, I started to chicken-out. Everything about coming over here felt so wrong, so childish. I took the easy way out and just let myself in and left you the key. In some convoluted way, that key would say all the things I wasn't woman enough to say. The key was a way for me to tell you I was out of the way. That Ranger is all yours, if you want him. I'm not with him anymore."

Everything she just said makes sense. She must be suffering from Ranger induced insanity, something of which I am familiar. He can make a perfectly sane woman do incredibly stupid things, and then wish for more. Repeat the same action over and over and expect a different result…that is insane!

"Leah, I kind of understand what you did. There are lots of questions that need to be answered, but first we need to talk about you breaking into my apartment. Is this something you are used to doing?"

"No, not at all! I can pick locks, no problem, but I don't do it on a regular basis. When I came over here, I never intended to break into your apartment. I was scared to face you, so I took the easy way out. I am so sorry! I never meant to scare you, but I know that is what happened. Please forgive me."

"Lester and Tank need to hear from you, too. They are the ones that came over here to make sure there wasn't a crazy loose in my apartment. Right about now, Ranger is getting brought up to speed on this whole thing. That is the scary part, trust me!"

Leah's face got even paler and her eyes started to tear up. Her head dropped forward and I could see her wiping at her eyes. I handed her a tissue box and returned to my corner of the sofa. I feel sorry for her.

"Leah, what happened last night?"

"Umm, what part do you want to know about? There is the control room and you and Lester. There is the talk between me and Ranger in his apartment. There is me after the talk and how I ended up here with the key….

"Stephanie, I don't feel very good. Where is your bathroom?"

I point down the hall and watch her go quickly to the bathroom. Watching her go through this reminds me of all the times I had the same reaction to Ranger: tears, nausea, confusion…

Leah slowly walks back to the sofa and sits down, pulling her legs up to her chest. She looks so vulnerable. This isn't what I had conjured up in my mind all those times I wondered what she was like.

"Sorry about that, Stephanie. I feel a little better now. Okay, the control room scene was bad. I had never seen Ranger that angry before. Everyone was talking about the client they had worked with earlier and how everything went down on that job. Bobby was the only one at the monitors and all we heard was a little chuckle come from him as he looked at the screen. Of course, that got everyone's attention. I went over first and stood there with my mouth open. Sorry, Stephanie, but it was quite an eye full.

"Ranger was right behind me and his eyes were like lasers staring at the screen. Not a sound came from his mouth, or anyone else's. We all stood there watching you and Lester in the garage. I could hear Ranger's breathing quicken and as I turned to look at him, I could see his jaw tighten and his hands were in fists. He didn't say anything until you kissed Lester and gave him a hug. That's when all hell broke loose!"

Shit….I am so screwed! What was I thinking. I wasn't. That is the problem. I was just having fun with Lester, and flirting, a little. Well, flirting a lot, but that isn't a crime…is it?

"Leah, what did Ranger say to you in the Control Room?"

"That was part of the problem. He didn't even act like I was in the room. At that moment, nothing mattered to him but you. All he seemed to be thinking about was what you and Lester did last night and that you both weren't trying to hide it from anyone."

Hold the phone…let's back up a minute here! Did she just say what I think she said!

"WHAT? Leah, what do you think we did? What does everyone else think we did?" I was sounding a little panicky and I could feel myself break out in a sweat.

"I'm not really sure what everyone thinks. It just looks like you both shared a very intimate evening. Your wet clothes left nothing to the imagination. I'm not even going to go into Lester in wet yellow boxers. Boy, that was a sight! Anyway, the men in the room were just looking at each other, not saying a word. Ranger watched the screen until you left the garage. We all watched as he grabbed the monitor and threw it across the room. He started yelling in Spanish and I had no idea what he said. Christ, he scared the shit out of me. I really thought, at that moment, he would kill Lester when he found him. He stormed out of the control room and everyone else just stood in silence. They all were looking at me.

"Stephanie, I knew then that I could never have Ranger. The anger and emotion he showed last night was proof to everyone that he still loves you. I'm pretty sure that seeing you with Lester was more than he could take. I mean, Lester is one of his closest friends and a trusted business associate. You are the love of his life and you have control over a part of him that he has guarded carefully for so long. Ranger must feel betrayed by both of you."

"Leah, I never meant for this to happen this way. We just went out to dinner and Lester took me to this really pretty place with a huge fountain and beautiful gardens. The reason we were wet is because I slipped in the fountain and we both ended up in the water. We didn't do anything."

Leah looks down at her hands and doesn't say anything. After a few minutes she looks at me.

"Stephanie, I told Ranger I couldn't be with him anymore. Last night gave me the courage to face the truth. I told him it had never just been the two of us, it had always been three of us in this relationship. You were the third person. Even when we had sex, he was distant. Ranger isn't easy to read, but I know now that he was holding back because of you, it never really was about me. I feel so foolish. Part of me held out hope of being able to wiggle my way into his heart. It just wasn't meant to be."

Sex …. I can't deal with that thought right now. I need to stop my mind from giving me a visual of that! This is embarrassing.

"Sorry, Stephanie…this is a little uncomfortable. I never imagined that I would be having this talk with you."

"It's okay, Leah…just a little awkward. I guess it shouldn't be. We have more than a few things in common when it comes to Ranger." Boy, do we.

"Leah, the only time Ranger and I ever mentioned you was when I went to him a few months ago and told him I knew I wanted to have a relationship with him. That I had finally figured everything out in my head. He told me he couldn't be with me, that he was in a relationship with you and he didn't want to do anything to hurt you. That is the only time you ever came up. I promise you, I never tried to interfere with you and Ranger. I didn't even know about you until he told me that day. If I had known, I never would have gone to him. Please believe me."

Leah's eyes focused on me. I know she is trying to get things sorted out in her head. There must be a hundred thoughts running through her mind.

"Thank you for telling me that. There were so many times that I felt like everyone was talking until I came around. Then everyone was quiet and kind of wandered off. I never did fit in with the guys. You have their hearts, too. Last night I was full of courage and enough anger to give me strength. I hadn't realized how much denial I was in about Ranger. I've spent the last few months chasing something I will never be able to have.

"Stephanie, I am leaving RangeMan tomorrow. I told Ranger last night that I was resigning and would be gone in a few days. Being around him is just too hard. I tried so hard to get him to fall in love with me, but I wasn't what he wanted. He is the most intense and amazing man I have ever known. Kind of scary, though.

"Before I left his apartment last night, I told him to go back to you. It is obvious to everyone that he is in love with you, and that you love him. You two need to work this out."

Leah looks down at her lap. She has had a long night and her day is not going to be easy. Ranger is going to want an explanation and he isn't going to be in a warm and fuzzy mood!

"Leah, would you like for me to go to RangeMan with you? We can both face Ranger and try to defuse this before it gets too out of control. What happened last night in my apartment is between you and me. It really isn't any of his concern, but he won't see it that way."

"Thanks. I think I will take you up on the offer. I just want to go to my apartment and pack and get on the road. This whole thing is just too much for me to handle right now. I'm afraid if I'm alone with Ranger, I will start to cry and I don't want him to see that. Do you understand?"

"Boy, do I, Leah! If we had another week together, I could tell you some stuff about my life that would have you crying with sympathy and rolling on the floor in laughter! Between my old boyfriend Joe and Ranger, I have years of stories to tell. We can take care of Ranger. Don't worry."

"Leah, there is food in the kitchen and more coffee. Help yourself. I am going to put some shoes on and I'll be ready to go in a minute. If you want, you can use my bathroom to freshen-up."

"Thanks, I know I look like hell. I hate it when my eyes get all puffy like this!"

That is all for now. Hope you like it. More to follow in a few weeks. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**He's Mine**

Well, Stephanie, you have succeeded in making a complete mess out of your life! Shit…how could things go so wrong in such a little amount of time? Yep, I do have a knack for the absurd! This is quite a conundrum…do I go to Ranger and blurt out all of my feelings for him, or do I lie low for a while and let things settle out on their own? My natural inclination is to take the easy way out and just wait, but my little voice in my head (or is it my heart) is telling me to put on my big girl panties and march my ass into Ranger's office and lay it out on the table.  This is giving me a headache.

"Leah, are you ready to go talk to Ranger?"

"I guess so. No use in putting it off any longer. I appreciate your offer to be with me when I talk to Ranger, but I can handle him okay by myself. You will have your own face time with him over the whole Lester thing. As I see it right now, my talk will go a whole lot better than yours…probably. You never know with him, though."

We walk silently to our cars and wave to each other. "I'll meet you in the garage and we can head up to Ranger's office together."  Leah nods and gets into her car. We both head to Ranger's building.

As we pull into the garage, I can feel my stomach getting nervous and my head is starting to pound. Definitely need some Advil, and soon. Leah doesn't look much better than I do. Our walk to the elevator is silent, both of us deep in our own thoughts. Both of us thinking about Ranger. We step into the elevator and Leah presses the button for the 5th floor.

"Steph, we can catch up with each other when I finish with Ranger. See you in a few."

"Come to my cube and we can talk. Good luck!" As we step out of the elevator, I notice how empty the halls look. Wonder if everyone is in a meeting, or just out on jobs? Hmm, wonder where Lester is?

Good heavens, where did all these searches come from? This will take all day to finish and I know there are more to come from the guys. Better get busy.

I didn't realize how much time had passed, until I heard someone walking up to my cube. No tingles, so it isn't Ranger…thank God. It's Leah.

"Hey, you are still in one piece! How did it go?"

"Well, let's just say he was pretty pissed and didn't try to hide it. But, in the end, we got things straight and I think he accepted my answers to his questions. I felt like such an idiot sitting there explaining everything to him. I didn't want to tell him all of the details, but I kind of owed it to him because of Tank and Lester having to come to your apartment. How do I get myself into such fucked-up situations?"

"That is something we have in common. Are you going to your apartment to pack?"

"Yeah. I'll give you a call later and maybe we can grab lunch or go out for a beer and pizza later."

"Sounds good. I have a pile of work to do and, sometime before the end of the day, I need to talk to Ranger. Nothing like a "come to Jesus talk" to round out a girl's day!" Leah smiles and walks away. Now, back to my work.

"Hey, beautiful. Want to go for a swim?" As I whip around in my seat, I see a very amused Lester. A very sexy, Cheshire Cat Lester. Is the sexiest part of a man his smile? I'll have to do some research on this!

"Well, I do know of this great place to go for a swim, but the water is only about 6 inches deep. Glad to see you are still in one piece after last night. Leah filled me in on some of the details of what happened in the Comm. Room. Sounds like Ranger was pissed beyond belief. Have you talked to him this morning?" I love the way Steph looks when she is seaching for clues.

"Yes and no. We had a meeting about normal business stuff, but nothing was said between us about the garage scene. It is coming, but he has been busy with some client problems. Have you talked to him?"

"Not yet. I am going to before the end of the day. As much as I would like to put my head in the sand, I don't think it would be a good idea. Ranger and I need to get this straightened out. I need to make sure he understands what actually happened at the fountain. You know Les, you and I need to talk about this, too. Can we go some place a little more private? Maybe your apartment?" Lester is looking at me with a huge grin, like I am edible!

"Thought you would never ask? This day just started getting a whole lot better. Follow me, gorgeous." I must say, following Lester is not a bad thing. So much to look at!

Lester opens the door and leads me to his sofa, his hand resting gently on the small of my back. We both take a seat on the sofa, and sit for a few minutes not saying anything. Well, I guess I better start this ball rolling.

I can't help but stare at her. She is looking at her hands in her lap, biting on her lower lip. She could never hide her feelings. Her face shows every thought and emotion that goes through her head. She is so hot. God, no wonder Ranger wants to kill anyone that gets around her. "Steph, just spill it, you don't have to mince words with me. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I don't know how to say this, but… well… I… ummm… we have been kind of circling around each other and getting kind of…you know, flirty. Steph stands up and starts to walk back and forth in front of me. The last statement made her checks blush pink and her hands are doing little sweeping gestures as she tries to explain the thoughts flooding through her brain. She is amazing to watch.

She suddenly stops right in front of me with her hands on her hips. Her chest is rising and falling with deep, supposedly calming, breaths. Those blue eyes are focused directly at me. This is going to be good.

"Lester, if Ranger wasn't in the picture, would you want me? As soon as she said that, she starting walking back and forth and continued wringing her hands in front of her. Now she is right in front of me, hands clasped in front of her and her eyes drilling into me.

"Shit, Steph, I didn't expect that question. Give me a minute to think. There isn't a yes or no for this one. First, I have always wanted you. You know what I am like and how much I love women. Lots of times I think of having you in my bed, what man wouldn't? God, Steph, every guy in here has to keep themselves under control."

There she goes again, back and forth, back and forth, wearing a path in the carpet. Yep, stops right in front of me again.

"Okay, I get that you would want to have sex with me, but would you want me for more than that? She is now sitting next to me on the sofa and waiting for an answer. Careful here, Les, you are in dangerous waters.

"Steph, I think I need to answer the other part of your question first, that will help answer your last question. How much do you know about the history I have with Ranger?"

"I know you were in the Army together and that you both have risked your lives for each other and did so without thinking twice. That you both have lots of stories about what you have done that I will never hear. I quess there is a bond that goes pretty deep. Is that close to the truth?"

Lester stands up and starts pacing back and forth, his hands shoved down in his pockets. I can hear him take a deep breath every now and again as he looks over at me.

"Yeah, all of that is true. The truth is that Ranger still wants you and that in his mind, and the mind of everyone here, you are his. And he is yours." Lester stops in front of me and gives me a big smile. Now what! This has taken an uncomfortable turn.

"What do you mean he's mine? Funny, hooking up with Leah doesn't fit into that picture well, now does it?" Steph is now walking around the room waving her hands and muttering something about men and asses and all fucked up. Better let her get this out of her system. I'll just sit and be quiet. I have learned a few good lessons from knowing so many women. Here she is again. Right in front of me, waiting for me to spill more info.

"Steph, there are some absolute truths here that we need to get straight. For me, one is the fact that I will flirt with you until I'm dead…can't be helped. Secondly, I will never, no matter how tempting, go after a woman that Ranger cares about. Those two truths will co-exist uncomfortably for ever. And, because of this, I will always be jerking Ranger's chain when it comes to you. I can tell you, though, that if Ranger had never been involved with you, I would be all over you in a second." He is telling me the truth. I can see it in his eyes.

"I was getting kind of confused with my feelings for you, Les. You really made me feel good last night when we were at the fountain. I felt cared for and that is something I have been without for a while. But I was also kind of attracted to you. I don't know if I would have given into those feelings all the way, but I was tempted." With that admission, her face glowed pink and she looked away.

I pat the sofa next to me and she sits down. She isn't looking at my face, probably too embarrassed. I slowly put my hand on her face and turn her to look at me. Her eyes look sad and I can she how hard she is trying to not cry. I know this is a mistake, but I can't help myself. My hands reach around her and I pull her to me. I lean in and kiss her and I am surprised at how she welcomes me. Our lips part and our kiss deepens. As I pull her onto my lap, I am keenly aware of my erection and how it is pressing into her crotch. She lets out a little moan and we both pull away a little. As our eyes meet, I can see that she is running a million thoughts through her head.

Steph wiggles back on my lap a little bit, taking the direct contact away and obviously wanting a cooling down period.

"Ummm, wow, wasn't expecting that." She looks down and moves her hands from my waist to her thighs. We both know the truth. Guess I'm going to have to say it, thought.

"Steph, you are dangerous for me to be around. I didn't plan for that to happen, really. Not sorry that it did, though." He is giving me one of those great smiles that makes me feel like everything will be fine.

"I guess I better get off of your lap. Playing with fire and all that stuff. I'm glad we had this talk and we know where we stand. I love being around you, Lester and I don't want anything, or anyone, to mess that up. After all, there isn't anything wrong with a little mutual attraction between friends." I give him my version of a wolf grin and stand up.

"You helped me realize a few other things, too. Ranger and I are still connected, no matter what we may think. It's just so hard sometimes to deal with everything that's happened. This whole drama thing is getting old. I need to go find him and get things straight." She looks nervous, but there is a good deal of determination in her eyes. This may be the time that Ranger gets an ear full. This is going to be good!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**He's Mine**

"I guess I better be getting back to work. I'm sure Ranger will find out that we came to your apartment and it will be hell to pay for both of us. He can be such a horse's ass sometimes. He really needs to have more faith in his friends and in me too."

Lester walks over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. His face just inches from mine. He gives me a wink and pats my cheek softly.

"Don't worry, gorgeous. If things get rough, you can come stay with me and I'll protect you. You know, I've been told I'm pretty good at being a body guard." Oh, boy! No kidding.

"I, umm, better get going. You are one dangerous man, Santos." If she only knew. She gives me a smile and a kiss on my cheek before heading for the door. Ranger is one lucky fuck and he better get his shit together before he looses her.

Lester is one of a kind. As I walk out of his apartment, I look back and see him smiling at me. I give him a little finger wave and head for the elevator. Nothing wrong with having a really hot looking guy for a friend. Ranger will just have to deal with it.

With the feel of the phone vibrating, I glance at the ID. Not good. Nope.

"Yes." I can do one word greetings.

"We need to talk."

"Where?"

"My apartment. Now." Click.

Damn it! Who does he think he is to order me up there 'Now.' Don't think so, buddy-boy. This isn't your show to direct! Better break the news to him.

"What?" Yep, he sounds thoroughly pissed.

"I'll tell you 'what.' Who the hell do you think you are to call me and order me to your apartment? Not happening. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Big plans for the afternoon?"  Ranger's voice is dripping with sarcasm. I know he is royally pissed and getting more so by the second. This is going to get ugly.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have something I need to do." Click. Yeah! See how you like it, Ranger. Shit, I better get going before he hauls my ass up to his apartment. No turning back on this little pissing-match, so I might as well go make myself busy. Hmmm, I'll go get Leah and get the hell out of here before it is too late.

Knock, knock. "Leah, you in there?" Knock, knock, knock. "Hurry up and let me in!" Damn, you can't see anything through these little peep-holes. Where is she?

"Coming! Keep your pants on!" What the hell is her problem? As I open the door, Stephanie shoots in here like she is being chased. I look up and down the hall, but no one is there. I smell trouble. Why am I not surprised?

"What is wrong with you? Is someone after you? Or, are you hiding from _someone_?" Steph nods her head yes. "Oh, I get it…Ranger trouble? Do tell. Go on into the living room and I'll get some beer from the 'fridge and we'll talk. I'm glad he's your problem now." This should be good.

Leah goes to the kitchen to get the beer while I find a place to sit. There are boxes everywhere! I move stuff off the sofa and clear some space on the coffee table. "I see the packing is going well. The sofa is clear now." Leah comes into the living room and takes a seat on the sofa.

"Here is your beer. So, spill. What did he do to get you moving so fast? Before you say anything, remember one thing…if he wants you, he will come here and get you. He knows where you are. Actually, you are in his ex-girlfriends apartment. No man in his right mind would enter this room without back-up!" Leah wiggles into the corner of the sofa, pulling her knees up to her chest. She certainly is settled in for a juicy story.

"I went to Lester's apartment to talk about the other night at the fountain and the flirty-stuff that was going on. Long story short, we are good and our friendship is strong. Lester isn't going anywhere, so Ranger will just have to deal with it. The way I see it, there isn't anything wrong with having a really hot-looking guy for a friend. I'm not going to tell Ranger this, but Lester told me I was off-limits in his mind because, according to him and other people, I am Ranger's woman." Leah hasn't taken her eyes off of me. She is loving this.

"Okay, I get that part of the story with Lester. He is a fine looking man. I'm not off limits…I may have to think about this whole moving-out thing. You know, I'm only a few doors away from him. After the last few months, I could use a good guy…frustrated doesn't cover it! Now get to the good part about why Ranger is pissed and wants to find you." Steph's face goes blank and she looks shocked. What did I say?

"Leah, you were with Ranger for three months. What do you mean you are frustrated?" I know I am treading in dangerous territory but hell, my curiosity is out of control here.

Steph has a look of complete disbelief. What the hell, I might as well tell her how things were with him. I really didn't want today to be about me and Ranger, but this story probably needs to be told.

"Ranger never got over you. From the very beginning, he was distant. I knew he was thinking about you. I never really let myself get too close to him, mostly because of that. It was just a matter of time before we stopped seeing each other."  I sigh and take a big swig of my beer…liquid courage and all that crap. Well, on to the meaty part of my relationship with the gorgeous Cuban. "I was nervous about sleeping with him. I've been hurt too many times to just jump in the sack and then have my heart trampled on. I wanted to wait and see how things went. We danced around 'doing the deed' many times and came close, but I always stopped it before it got to that point. I knew he was frustrated, but he knew how I felt."

"I know all about finally giving in to the moment and then being thrown aside the next day. I've had that happen to me. Hurts, doesn't it?" I put my beer down on the table and look back at Leah. I'm not going to tell her that it was Ranger that did it to me.

"Leah, I need a potty break. I'll be right back. Want another beer while I am up?"

"Sure. Thanks. Bring some of those pretzels on the counter with you. I'm hungry."

She comes back in a few minutes and puts down the beer and pretzels. After resuming her spot at the other end of the sofa, she looks at me like I hold the key to all knowledge. Well, here goes with the rest of the story.

"Anyway, when we finally got around to doing it, it wasn't what I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, the man has amazing technique, but that wasn't what was lacking." Steph chokes on her pretzel and is trying to drink enough beer to get it dislodged from her throat. "You okay down there? Didn't mean to get you all choked up."

"Yeah, I'm fine…I think. Sorry. It was the whole 'lacking' thing. Kind of took me by surprise." She puts down her empty bottle and starts to work on the new beer.

"Well, what I meant by lacking, was he was lacking the feeling behind what we were doing. I knew he was holding back. It was in his eyes. You were on his mind, not me. I must have been the first person he had been with since the last time he was with you."

She looks down at her beer and lets out a long breath. This must be so hard for her to say, especially to me.

"It's okay if we stop talking about this. Really. This is private stuff between you and Ranger." Leah gives me a half smile and shrugs her shoulders. After taking a sip of her beer, she sighs and starts talking again.

"I'm alright now. It was hard at the time. We were here in my apartment and when it was over I got up and got dressed. I wanted him to leave and go back to his apartment. It was obvious to me why he wanted to come down here in the first place. He knew he couldn't do it in his own bed." Leah gives me a little half-smile and finishes her beer. She stretches over to the table and grabs the pretzel bag. The only sound in the apartment is her crunching pretzels. I guess we are both thinking about what she just said. Am I the only woman that has been in his bed? Seems like the last few months haven't been as happy for Ranger as I thought they were. He was still trying to get into her pants, so he couldn't have been too torn-up about me.

What do I say to her now? Wow, this is really uncomfortable. I need to talk about something else.  "Oh yeah, I never told you why I was in such a hurry to get in here." Leah curls back into the corner of the sofa and continues to crunch her pretzels. I have her full attention now. "Ranger called and pretty much ordered me to his apartment for a talk. I didn't like the way he was talking to me, so I told him no, and hung up on him." Leah laughs and nods her head for me to continue. "He has to be furious at this point. Ranger is usually so in control. For some reason, hanging-up on him sends him over the edge. He has come to my apartment before just because of that. One time he almost tore the door off the hinge!

"Enough about Ranger and this whole fiasco. We need music. Do you have a stereo, or have you already packed it?" I look around but don't see one.

Leah stands and goes to the corner and starts moving around some boxes. "I have a boom-box, but all the cds are packed. Maybe something good is on the radio." She goes through the stations and finally finds something with a beat.

"Can I help you pack? I really don't have anything else to do today and if I go out there now I will probably run into Ranger somewhere in the building. He probably has the guys on monitor duty waiting for me to pop out of your apartment. Have you ever played "Whack-A-Mole" at the Fair? That's what I feel like. The ever-ready Ranger is standing over me waiting to get me when I come out of my hole!"

"If you were playing that game, he would probably get you in one try. Best if you don't tempt fate. And as for the offer of help, I still need to pack up some of the dishes in the kitchen. Empty boxes and paper are over there by the table. I'll meet you in the kitchen." Leah walks to the kitchen while I grab our supplies. Just as I am putting everything on the counter, I hear a song that makes my heart stop. Oh shit, of all songs to play, not this one…not right now.

/watch?vwweAkkZH4s&

_I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,_

_Or__ tell you that._

_But__ if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it_

_Where's__ the sense in that?_

_I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder_

_Or__ return to where we were._

_I will go down with this ship_

_And__ I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm__ in love and always will be_

Leah looks over at me and gives me a little smile. "You know this song, too? I've always loved it. Makes me want to cry whenever I hear it. It fits almost every relationship I have had."

"I know. Me too." As we continue packing the song plays on in the background.

_I know I left too much mess and_

_Destruction to come back again_

_And__ I caused nothing but trouble_

_I understand if you can't talk to me again_

_And__ if you live by the rules of "it's over"_

_Then I'm sure that that makes sense._

_I will go down with this ship_

_And__ I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm__ in love and always will be_

_And__ when we meet_

_Which I'm sure we will_

_All that was there_

_Will be there still_

_I'll__ let it pass_

_And__ hold my tongue_

_And__ you will think_

_That I've moved on…_

"I've listened to this more than a few times over the last few months. The words fit so well with what I went through with Joe, and then with Ranger." Leah is busily packing but stops to grab her beer. She nods and lets out a little chuckle before going into the other room. She's up to something.

"Keep working. I just thought of a song I want you to hear. It may take me a minute to find it, but you will understand what I mean when you hear it."

"Okay, boss! I'm packing as fast as I can." I drain the rest of my beer and go to the 'fridge for more. "You want another beer while I am getting one?" I'm going to feel like shit tomorrow. Oh well, tonight will be fun.

"Sure. Just leave it on the counter. Yes! Here it is. You're going to laugh when you hear this." I can hear her loading the cd and I wait to recognize the song.

"Oh god, Leah! That is one of my favorite songs. It is like the break-up anthem. It is the best!" She comes back into the kitchen and starts singing along to the music with her beer bottle mic.

/watch?vTnbc64XQ1DI&

_I want you to know, that I'm happy for you_

_I wish nothing but the best for you both_

_An older version of me_

_Is she perverted like me_

_Would she go down on you in a theatre_

_Does she speak eloquently_

_And__ would she have your baby_

_I'm__ sure she'd make a really excellent mother._

We are both holding our beers and singing along to the song. Much emphasis being given to the good parts. The more the song plays, the louder and more pointed our singing becomes. Oh boy, here comes the good part.

"I love this part, Leah. I should have this printed and put in a frame in my bedroom. It will remind me not to be stupid…maybe!" She smiles and nods in agreement.

_And__ I'm here to remind you_

_Of the mess you left when you went away_

_It's__ not fair to deny me_

_Of the cross I bear that you gave to me_

_You, you, you oughta know._

_You seem very well__, things look peaceful_

_I'm__ not quite as well, I thought you should know_

_Did you forget about me Mr. Duplicity_

_I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner_

_It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced_

_Are you thinking of me when you fuck her._

With that last verse, we both raise our beers and tap them together. Yes, this is the song that pretty much sums up all good times gone bad!

"So, you agree with my selection?" Steph gives me a knowing nod and finishes her beer. I leave her in the kitchen and go to turn by boom-box back to the radio.

"Enough about 'Mr. Duplicity.' Let's just pack, drink and sing. I need to have some fun!"

"Fair enough. I think I have a frozen pizza that we can cook later. I'm not going anywhere tonight. Do you want to stay here? You can sleep on the sofa or in the bed with me. It's a queen size and I'm not too much of a bed hog."

"Thanks. That would be great. I will probably be in no shape to drive anyway. Tomorrow will be a new day and my talk with Ranger will have to happen. No avoiding it any longer. You don't think he would come here tonight, do you? I really don't want to see him right now, and especially after I've been drinking. Something stupid will probably come out of my mouth."

"I don't know why he would come here tonight. It's not like he would just appear in the middle of the night." She laughs and turns to keep packing. No midnight visits? Hmm, interesting.

(Songs are White Flag by Dido, and You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8                                                       ****He's Mine**

_Warning for some adult material.__ JE's characters, not mine. Just having some fun at their expense._

The sliver of light coming through the blinds hit me right in the face and made me blink myself awake. It was early. Way too early for civilized people to function. Rolling over onto my back, I tried, once again, to get comfortable on Leah's sofa. And for the record, she is a bed hog. If she weren't, I would have still been in there sleeping on a mattress!

There was just enough light seeping through the blinds to see the mess that was her apartment: boxes, empty beer bottles, dirty plates. Who knew packing up a kitchen would be so much fun? I was glad I had stayed last night.

As much as I had wanted to go back to sleep, I knew I had to get up and start preparing myself for 'the talk.' I needed to tell him how I felt…what I wanted. Hope it wasn't too late to make things right.

On my way to the bathroom, I peeked into Leah's room. She was sprawled over the center of the bed and looked quite comfy. Glad _someone_ had been able to sleep soundly last night.

After taking care of my bladder and attempting to tame my wild curls, I made my way to the kitchen to leave her a note telling her I would call later. I was sad that she was moving. We haven't known each other for long, but we had become very close.

The trip down to the garage was blissfully quiet. I really didn't want to talk to anyone this morning. Too many questions are out there for me to deal with it all right now. Plenty of time for that later…much later.

When I stepped out of the elevator, the cool morning air made me shiver. Only a quick stop by the McDonalds stood between me and a warm shower.   Coke and french-fries sounded so good. I could almost smell the warm fries. Yummy, so crunchy and salty!

I turned and smiled at the camera and gave the guys a little finger wave before getting into my car and heading home. Those are the guys that would start all the questions about where I was, what I was doing, who I was doing it with, blah, blah, blah. I swear, those guys gossip as much as my Grandmother!

After making my stop for 'the cure,' I headed to my own apartment and made my way upstairs. When I walked into the kitchen, I could hear Rex rummaging around in his cage. Poor thing was hungry. After sharing some of my fries with him, I made my way through the apartment to take a shower.

Something just felt off about the day. So many things in the apartment made me think of Ranger. As I undressed, memories of sharing a shower with him came streaming through my mind, causing my dormant hormones to rise to the surface. His voice, his touch, his smell, his mouth on the side of my neck, all of these thoughts were making my body ache for him. I hadn't allowed these feelings to visit me for so long, but now I was having a hard time denying them. My anger towards him was gradually being replaced by sadness and the hope that I could once again have him…in every sense of the word.

After adjusting the water, I got into the shower and pulled the massager from its holder. Turning the dial to a gentle pulse, I started working on my sore neck muscles. Leah's sofa had left me with less than a refreshing night's sleep and my neck and shoulder muscles were telling the tale. The massager's pulses felt heavenly as I moved the jets of water across my shoulders and then zigzagged a lazy path over my breasts, stopping to let the water hit my sensitive nipples. The sharp spurts of water sent shivers down my body. The fullness of arousal was slowly building low in my body.

I sat on the shower bench and spread my legs, placing my feet on the opposite wall. Slowly, teasingly, I moved the jets of water up and down the insides of my thighs… trying hard to resist the urge to go right where I needed it the most. My face felt flush with anticipation and my breathing was jagged. The warm pulses were almost there…just a few more inches, and… I put two fingers into my thick, wet folds, and set a languid pace that quickened as I pushed deeper into my hot center. My other hand guided the soft pulses of water rhythmically back and forth over my swollen clit.

A moan escaped from me as I bit my lip and gave in to the sense of urgency the pulses were creating. Intense waves of pleasure were coming faster and faster. With closed eyes, I imagined Ranger here with me, his strong fingers plunging into me, his thumb rubbing circles on my clit, his dark brown eyes fixed on mine.

I felt the orgasm building as I pushed into the wall and found my release. Such a feeling of emptiness overtook me that I didn't even realize that tears were streaming down my face. There wasn't any choice but to give into the tears…the aching in my heart for him kind of took me by surprise. I had been acting like I was fine, almost so well that I was starting to believe it. He should have been here, leaning his forehead into mine, his dark, lustful eyes searching my face for answers to his silent questions. I ached for his strong arms to scoop me up and carry me to the bed. What if he turns me away today? He has to still love me, want me as much as I want him. He just has to…  

With a deep sigh, I stood and finished showering and washing my hair. Wrapping myself in a towel, I went to the bedroom to dress. After doing my hair and getting my make-up right, I decided it was time to call Ranger and see when we could meet.

My palms were sweaty as I went for my cell. I needed to sound calm and matter-of-fact with him when he answered. Maybe not, though. Maybe I should just sound like I feel…nervous, worried, and anxious. If I want the games to stop, I should probably just try being honest with myself first. That is going to be hard to do.

"Yo." He gave me the short, tight version of Yo, not the slightly drawn out, friendly version. This was pretty much what I expected.

"Hi. I, umm, can we meet in a little while and talk?" I realized I was biting down on my lip and pacing back and forth, waiting for his answer. My anxiety level going up by the second.

"My apartment in 20 minutes?" This didn't come across as a command, but more as a question. Maybe he remembered what got me so angry last night. I hope so.

"Okay, see you then. Bye." Silence. With a sigh, I put the cell in my purse and headed to the car.

My shower had provided my body with the release it needed. Now I was going to have to keep my wits about me while my fantasy sat just a few feet from me.


End file.
